Long Island Divorce Mediation Attorneys

Alternatives to Divorce in Huntington & Suffolk County, NY

If you are planning on obtaining a divorce or legal
separation then our trained divorce mediators can offer you an alternative to the
traditional divorce path that can save you and your spouse both time and
money. The main advantage of mediation is that it keeps you and your spouse
in control of your own divorce or legal separation. Mediation allows the
two of you to get through the divorce process with less conflict then
you would experience in an adversarial divorce process.

At
The Meyers Law Group, P.C., our
Long Island divorce lawyers believe that the advantages of resolving a divorce or other family law
issue through mediation are clear and numerous. Most important are the
emotional and financial benefits. Divorce mediation settlements can end
amicably, without the rancor that may follow with
divorce litigation. Mediation serves to bring the couple together for decision-making, rather
than increasing hostility through fighting in court. It is far less costly
than litigation, as well.

What is Divorce Mediation?

Divorce Mediation is a comprehensive process facilitated by a skilled divorce
mediator that brings you and your spouse together to decide for yourselves,
issues relating to the dissolution of your marriage,
child custody,
child support, spousal
maintenance,
equitable distribution and ancillary issues that are memorialized in a final binding agreement
that will govern the terms of your divorce or legal separation. Usually
the mediator prepares the binding agreement unless both parties have their
own attorneys.

Mediation works when you and your spouse want to resolve your marital issues
without the expense of litigation but most importantly it works when you
and your spouse believe that you can work together with a mediator. Each
spouse must be able to articulate what they need and want to get on with
their lives.

The ultimate decision-making authority in the process rests with the parties.
The mediator does not make decisions for the parties and a mediator will
not tell the parties what the end result should be. The mediator is there
to outline the issues for the parties and help them arrive at their own
decisions on those issues. Mediation is voluntary and continues only as
long as you and your spouse want it to. You and your spouse can withdraw
from mediation at any time. It has been found that when the parties have
gone through the process of mediation and are the authors of their own
settlement, the settlements are lasting and effective.

The Cost of Mediation

Mediation is almost always far less expensive than litigation. Compare
the cost of mediation with the cost of litigation in New York, which almost
always involves an up-front retainer fee for each party's counsel, often
$5,000 to $7,000 per attorney. Our firm charges a flat fee for up to 10
sessions each lasting 1 hour so our clients will not have any financial
pressure to complete the mediation process in a finite number of sessions.
The goal of mediation is for each spouse to fully accept, understand and
stand behind the Agreement. Neither spouse should feel rushed into making
decisions that will affect them and their family's future.

The divorce mediation process can take anywhere from a couple of weeks
to a year. The length of the process depends upon the difficulty of the
issues presented and the ability of the parties to reach agreements. One
of the ground rules for mediation is that each party must fully disclose
all financial information to the other. The parties are asked to provide
copies of documents such as bank statements, pension information, tax
information, mortgage statements etc. Depending upon how readily available
this information is can extend the mediation process.

What happens during divorce mediation?

The divorce mediator is a neutral party and cannot advocate on behalf of
either party. The divorce mediator can only articulate the law, not how
it affects one party or the other. When divorce mediation is used, an
agreement is reached on all issues usually within two to three months
and after approximately 5-6 mediation sessions. Despite one spouse's animosity,
an equitable agreement still can be reached through the divorce mediator's
skill and knowledge of the process. The trained divorce mediator works
with the couple to facilitate cooperation, respect and open negotiations.

Divorce Mediation works even when the couple retains private attorneys.
We also recommend, and sometimes require, that you have your final Agreement
reviewed and explained by separate counsel. Other professionals, such
as forensic accountants,
real estate appraisers, accountants and other experts can be utilized if the case
warrants their involvement.

Divorce Mediation is a viable, fast growing alternative to litigation.
The results of the divorce mediation process produce a plan for parenting,
custody, child support and spousal support and addresses all aspects of
property and equitable distribution. The results work because the parties
have custom tailored their agreement to meet their needs and the needs
of their families.

The information on this website is for general information purposes only.
Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual
case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt
or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.